


To Protect A Friend

by HolyKingWasteLand



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: BAMF Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Best Friends, Clinging, Dr. Kukui | Professor Kukui is a good dad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Kaki | Kiawe & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum are Best Friends, Nightmares, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum clings to Kaki | Kiawe, Self-Sacrificing Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Self-Sacrificing thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 06:34:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19458367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HolyKingWasteLand/pseuds/HolyKingWasteLand
Summary: While battling, Pikachu's Thunderbolt goes wild and hits Kiawe, who stumbles back off the side of the cliff. Everyone freezes, except for Ash.





	To Protect A Friend

"Alright Pikachu, use quick attack!" Ash yells, pointing at Turtonator. Pikachu lets out a shrill yell as it runs at a toppling speed.

_They were just training.._

"Turtonator, use flame thrower!" Kiawe shouts back, and Turtonator inhales deeply before releasing a powerful bout of flames. Pikachu manages to dodge, only by a hair, and then jumps back towards it's trainer.

"Pika!" Pikachu chirps, glancing back at Ash.

"Right! Pikachu, use thunderbolt!" Ash instructs, and Pikachu powers up, before releasing a huge amount of energy straight at Turtonator.

"Turtonator dodge!" Kiawe shouts, and it does, leaving a nice opening for Kiawe to be hit by the attack.

_It was just meant to be some practice.._

Kiawe tenses up at the impact, and releases a guttural scream of agony. Everyone panics. "Kiawe!" A few people shout, but Ash's voice is the loudest. Then, as the paralysis wears off, Kiawe stumbles backwards.

Right off the cliff.

Everyone's eyes fly open, as they watch in horror as Kiawe falls. Everyone freezes, except for Ash.

His legs move _fast._ Faster than he's ever run before. Pikachu and Turtonator yell for their trainers, but Ash ignores them.

And he jumps.

He puts his arms back by his side to fall faster, aerodynamics or whatever Rotom Dex was going on about before. Kiawe's eyes widen when Ash appears in front of him, both descending faster and faster.

"A-Ash- no-" He stammers out, still feeling the after effects of the shock.

Ash puts on a brave face, _smiles,_ and manages to reach him by his arms. Ash takes hold of him, and pulls him into his arms, successfully hugging him as they _fall_ _faster and faster._

"It's okay, Kiawe." Ash promises, hugging him tighter.

Then, like the voice of an angel, they hear a roar. Suddenly, they're not falling anymore, and Ash has claws in his side. He winces, but looks up to see Kiawe's Charizard hoisting them back up the cliff.

They land, and Ash and Kiawe fall to the ground, breathing heavily. The others run over to the pair, asking if they're okay, if they need anything.

Kiawe pushes Ash back, an angry look on his face. "Ash! Why on Earth would you _jump after me?_ _"_ He asks, shaking Ash by the front of his shirt. 

Ash's head lolls back and forth by the shaking, and he just smiles awkwardly, laughing to brush off the anxiety that's settled in his bones.

Once they've all calmed down, they get back to training. "Come on Ash, Togedemaru and Pikachu can train together!" Sophocles exclaims, and Pikachu and Togedemaru squeak happily.

"Oh uh, sure Sophocles, but I'm just gonna sit here for a minute." Ash says apologetically, scratching the back of his head. Sophocles looks a bit disappointed, but then perks up again.

"No worries! I'll train with them, you take a breather." Ash gives his thanks and sits down, opting to watch Kiawe train for a bit. His nerves are still going haywire, but hopefully being around Kiawe will settle them.

He takes deep breaths, and Professor Kukui notices. He walks over to Ash and takes a seat in the dirt next to him. "You alright, Ash?" He asks gently.

Ash tenses up, and then nods uneasily. "Yeah. Yeah I'm fine." He gives Kukui a (clearly) fake smile, to which the Professor frowns.

"You sure? You and Kiawe took quite a tumble there." Kukui pokes him in the side but Ash doesn't laugh, just kind of squirms.

"Yep! All good Professor! I'm gonna-" He jumps up and rushes over to Kiawe, the older boy smiles at Ash and lets him practice some Z-Move poses with him.

Kukui watches them curiously through his tinted glasses.

* * *

The rest of the day, no one can get Ash to leave Kiawe's side for more than a minute. The boy gets all jittery and ultimately finds himself back by the older boy's side.

Finally, when it's time for everyone to start heading home, Ash gives Kiawe a long hug. The older boy doesn't question it, just hugs back and when they pull away, he ruffles Ash's hair.

"Goodnight everyone!" He waves from atop his Charizard before lifting off the ground and flies home.

Ash steels himself and smiles. Pikachu jumps onto his shoulder, Rowlet in his backpack, Litten by his legs, and Rockruff in his arms. They all say their goodbyes and then part for the night.

Kukui and Ash walk home, eat dinner, watch another episode of Alolan Detective Laki, and then head to bed.

* * *

_THUD._

Kukui shoots up in bed. The sound was loud, loud enough to wake him. Confused, he jumps out of bed and goes to check on whatever made that noise.

Then... he hears something else. Crying?

Now he's really worried.

Kukui climbs the ladder to Ash's loft and pokes his head up to see Ash on the floor. His head is in between his knees, hidden behind his arms, lost to the world. Pikachu is standing beside him, trying to help, but is not sure what to do.

"Ash?" The boy's head shoots up and Kukui sees thick tears rolling down his cheeks. Ash quickly scrubs them away, but they keep coming.

"Sorry P-Professor. Did I wake you?" He asks softly, trying to stifle his sobs. Kukui climbs up the rest of the way and slides down next to him.

"Nah, it's okay." He side-hugs him, leaning against the boy sleepily. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Ash hesitates, before shrugging. Kukui has never seen him look so.. unnerved before. Ash is usually so smiley and excited, it's heartbreaking to see him so upset.

"I just had a nightmare." He begins softly. "About Kiawe and today."

Kukui hums and nods. "Well, you know, dreams and nightmares are a way of your brain processing what happened during the day. So it's perfectly normal to dream about a scary event that happened, even if it's a few weeks, months, or even years since it happened." Kukui explains gently, rubbing a hand over Ash's arm comfortingly.

Ash nods in understanding, but still looks extremely upset.

"It's not the first time that's happened." Ash starts softly, and yeah, Kukui knows. Ash jumped after Pikachu when fighting Tapu Koko not all that long ago. 

"I know, bud."

"No not- not just that time. You know Prism Tower?" Kukui nods, hesitant over where this is going. "I jumped off of it once."

Professor Kukui's blood runs cold. "What?" He prompts further knowledge.

"Yeah. Something happened with Team Rocket and a Garchomp, it had a ring around it's neck that made it go wild. Then, Pikachu and I got it off, but Pikachu fell off the building. I dove after him without a second thought." Ash tells the tale softly, recounting the event. "The only reason we're still here is because... A mega Blaziken saved us."

Kukui nods again, more shocked than anything. 

"But with Pikachu, I knew that if we fell, I could save him. He's small, and I could take the impact.. but..." Kukui is horrified at this way of thinking, but doesn't dare interrupt him in fear that Ash will close off again. "But with Kiawe- I don't know. I saw him fall, and I just reacted on instinct. I dove after him but I didn't- I wasn't-" He messes his hands in his black hair and tugs on it helplessly.

"I don't know what I was thinking, there was no way I could save either of us- Kiawe's a person, not a Pokémon that can easily be held and protected!" He begins crying again, and Pikachu pets his arm gently, worried for it's trainer.

Kukui pulls the boy further into his arms and hugs him tightly. "It's okay Ash. Kiawe's fine. He's at home, resting up, just like you should be." The Professor stands up and pulls Ash up with him. He drags him back into bed, and tucks him in paternally.

"Professor Kukui?" Ash asks sleepily, eyes drooping.

"Yes Ash?"

"Will you stay with me tonight?" He asks near-silently, like he's afraid of being turned away. Kukui gives an easy smile and nods.

"Of course buddy. I'll be right here all night."

* * *

The next day, they all meet up at the Pokémon school, and Ash greets Kiawe with a big hug. He sticks around him most of the day, and the Professor watches with kind eyes. Ash looks more relaxed. Like he can breathe without issue.

As Kukui watches the kids talk amongst themselves, he looks up the video clip that he vaguely remembers hearing about years ago. He watches it, and by the end of the clip, he feels like he knows a hell of a lot more about this kid than he did before..

But he also realises that this boy is complex, and maybe he'll never truly understand everything about him. But Tapu Koko damn it if he isn't going to try!


End file.
